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Carrie Dew won a league championship with FC Gold Pride in 2010 (Photo by Howard C. Smith, ISI Photos).

Carrie Dew, Kristi Eveland and Michelle Wenino Join Team

Sky Blue FC of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) bolstered its back line on Tuesday, adding defenders Carrie Dew, Kristi Eveland and Michelle Wenino to its roster. The trio looks to make an impression on the team over the upcoming season of play, which will kick off on Sunday, April 10th, with Sky Blue FC hosting the Philadelphia Independence at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway.

A former standout defender at the University of Notre Dame, Dew was twice named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year (2006, 2008). She needed little time to turn heads in South Bend, earning a spot on the starting lineup in just her freshman season and receiving an honorable mention to the All-Big East Team. She eventually capped off her college campaign by anchoring a defense which played in the 2008 NCAA College Cup Finals before falling to the University of North Carolina, 2-1, behind a pair of goals by current Sky Blue FC forward Casey Nogueira. She next played in the USL W-League that following summer and won a league title with the Pali Blues Soccer Club. The San Diego native was then selected in the second round of the 2009 WPS Draft by FC Gold Pride, starting 11 of 15 matches during her rookie year. She also contributed a goal and an assist to the offensive cause over her first professional season. During the 2010 campaign, she started all 17 games she played and scored a goal for the eventual WPS Champions.

“Carrie brings a strong defensive presence, and she is also very good in the air,” Sky Blue FC head coach Jim Gabarra remarked. “She is a versatile player who can play both as a center back and from the holding position in the midfield. She is very strong on the ball, and her two years of experience in the league will be very valuable to us. We are glad to be able to add Carrie on our defensive side of the field.”

Eveland will reunite with Gabarra after spending the 2010 season with him as a defender for the Washington Freedom. She was the fourth round pick of the team in the WPS Draft last January, and she made four starts in nine appearances for the Freedom. Prior to turning professional, the Texas native was a four-year starter for the University of North Carolina, winning three NCAA College Cup Championships (2006, 2008, 2009).

“Kristi will be especially valuable to us during call-ups,” Gabarra commented. “She can play as a center back defensively and could also develop to play on the right. Specifically, she is fast and is also very good in the air. I also think she proved last year to me and everyone in Washington that when given a chance, she can definitely play and get the job done.”

Wenino comes to New Jersey after training as a developmental player for the Chicago Red Stars in 2010. The former Colorado standout was named the Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2008, receiving All-Big 12 First Team accolades after both her junior and senior campaigns. She has since played overseas in Germany as a member of SC Freiburg, and the Aurora native also spent the 2010 USL W-League season as a member of the Pali Blues Soccer Club.

“Michelle has proven that she is a competitive player, both in her time as developmental player in Chicago and also in the year she spent in Germany,” Gabarra said. “She has a good defensive presence, and we look forward to seeing what she can bring to our team.”

Sky Blue FC General Manager Gioia DiFlumeri was also confident about the defensive trio being signed.

“Not only are we adding three solid players, we are bringing in three proven winners,” she stated. “Among them, championships have been won at every level of the game, and those types of credentials are not easy to find. We are very pleased to welcome Carrie, Kristi and Michelle to our team.”

Sky Blue FC currently has season tickets on sale for the upcoming season of play, with packages starting as low as $99. The team is also temporarily offering a flex ticket special which offers fans two free game vouchers with the purchase of a full set of 10. Flex plans give fans the flexibility of using their game vouchers however they please, all while receiving the same benefits of being a season ticket holder. For more information on Sky Blue FC ticket options, visit www.SkyBlueFC.com or call 888-SBFC-TIX.